Do you write this stuff just to see if I'll respond or do you actually believe it all?

“Be pleased with difference from Research Triangle counties
Oct 10”

Indeed we have it good here in Gwinnett don’t we? Schools spending per student: $7,705 and a proposed 2009 budget of $1.9 BILLION, which incidentally is about twice as much as the entire county budget, certainly makes me proud.

In comparison Wake County’s budget for FY 2009, the total request by the Board of Education to the County Commissioners was approximately $355.5 million which equates to roughly $2,600 per student.

Keep in mind that just two years ago (2007) GCPS was spending $5,673 per student. You tell me, have we really seen any major return on our additional $2,100 per year investment? Now compare that with the fact that Wake is doing the job for just $500 more per year than our “increase” over the past two years.

Yes sir, I’m proud! Proud to say I reside in a county where tax and spend without any real accountability is in place. A County that has yet to figure out that just throwing more money at the situation will do little to improve the quality of education being provided. One that must continue to increase yearly spending by nearly 15% just to maintain the same quality of services.

Elliott, Without a doubt, you have historically been one of the greatest cheerleaders our schools could ask for(keep up the good work), and I imagine I’d fit nicely into the category of being one of what some refer to as the nay-sayers, yet even you must admit that these figures are rather staggering.

That being said, I do believe we both hold providing a quality education a paramount goal. I am hopeful with the fact we actually have some choices to be made in the upcoming elections and that change might bring marked improvement to our schools. It is my opinion that with our facilities, resources and quality of teachers we have in place, there is no reason the GCPS system can not be ranked the number one school system in the nation. All we need now is “World Class” leadership.